The 2011 Census Dictionary provides definitions for all the concepts, variables and geographic terms of the 2011 Census.

The dictionary is divided into five sections. The first four focus on census 'universes', i.e., groups of variables pertinent to a subject. Terms and variables are listed alphabetically by specific characteristics within each section. The fifth section provides information on the geographic terms used in the Census of Canada.

The four census universes are:

Population universe

Provides information on the characteristics of Canada's population, such as demography and language.

Family universe

Pertains to the characteristics of families units. Both census and economic families are included.

Household universe

Covers the characteristics of a person or a group of persons occupying a private dwelling.

Dwelling universe

Describes the characteristics of dwelling units in Canada.

The Census Dictionary presents the information in the following format:

Short definition

This jargon-free definition has been simplified to make the information more accessible. To maintain uniformity in the document format, 'Not applicable' appears under this heading for the variables and geographic terms that do not have a short definition.

Detailed definition

This is a comprehensive, more technical definition of each variable or term used in all census products.

A variable is a subject about which information can be retrieved from the census database.

Census(es)

This heading indicates the census years in which the term or variable was used, and whether the data were collected from the entire population or from a sample. If the data were collected from a sample, the sampling size is given.

Reported for

This heading gives information on the population or subpopulation for which the data are provided. 'Not applicable' appears under this heading in the case of geographic terms

Question no(s).

This heading indicates the census question number(s) to which a variable is associated. 'Not applicable' appears under this heading in the case of geographic terms.

There are direct variables, derived variables and coded variables. For example, the question on the sex of respondents has two response categories: male and female. These categories correspond exactly to the information in the database. For this reason, Sex is said to be a direct variable. On the other hand, first official language spoken is referred to as a derived variable because the information in the database does not correspond to a single question on the questionnaire. Rather it is derived from the responses to the questions on knowledge of official languages, mother tongue and language spoken most often at home.

Coded variables are written responses that have been classified according to a pre-determined classification system.

Responses

This heading shows the response categories or classifications of the variable. 'Not applicable' appears under this heading in the case of geographic terms.

Remarks

This heading provides any additional detailed information (for example, on the comparability with previous censuses) which may help users to better understand and use the data.

In the section on geography, the user will find a subsection entitled 'Changes prior to 2006', in which all changes brought to the term in the 2001 Census or in previous censuses are indicated.

The geography universe defines terms related to geographical concepts, infrastructure, products and services.

Date

If a modification is brought to one of the variables, terms or appendices, a date will be incorporated to indicate when the modification was done (e.g., modified on March 14, 2012).

List of new variables and terms

The 2011 Census consisted of the same eight questions that appeared on the 2006 Census short-form questionnaire (covering basic demographic topics such as age, sex, marital status, mother tongue and consent to future release of personal information), plus two additional language questions on knowledge of official languages and languages spoken at home.

The 2011 Census Dictionary includes new variables and terms. They are:

Family universe

Intact family

Stepfamily

Simple stepfamily

Complex stepfamily

Geography

For more information, see the 'Introduction to the geography universe.'

Core, fringe and rural area

Geographical region of Canada

List of deleted variables and terms

The following entries, which were included in the 2006 Census Dictionary, have been excluded from the 2011 Census.

Family universe

Census family household composition

Census family type

New terminology for certain variables

Prior to 2011, 'Dwelling, private, occupied solely by foreign residents and/or by temporarily present persons' was referred to as 'Dwelling, private, occupied by foreign and/or temporary residents' in the Census Dictionary.

The term 'population centre' replaced 'urban area.' For more information, see a note titled 'From urban areas to population centres,' available on our website, which explains the new terminology and classification of population centres.

List of abbreviations

Provinces and territories

PR or Prov. - Province

Terr. - Territory

N.L. - Newfoundland and Labrador

P.E.I. - Prince Edward Island

N.S. - Nova Scotia

N.B. - New Brunswick

Que. - Quebec

Ont. - Ontario

Man. - Manitoba

Sask. - Saskatchewan

Alta. - Alberta

B.C. - British Columbia

Y.T. - Yukon

N.W.T. - Northwest Territories

Nvt. - Nunavut

Census geographic areas

CA - Census agglomeration

CAR - Census agricultural region

CCS - Census consolidated subdivision

CD - Census division

CMA - Census metropolitan area

CSD - Census subdivision

CT - Census tract

DA - Dissemination area

DB - Dissemination block

DPL - Designated place

ER - Economic region

FED - Federal electoral district

FSA - Forward sortation area

LOC - Locality

MIZ - Census metropolitan area influenced zone

POPCTR - Population centre

PR or Prov. - Province

Terr. - Territory

Census division types

CDR - Census division / Division de recensement

CT - County / Comté

CTY - County

DIS - District

DM - District municipality

MRC - Municipalité régionale de comté

RD - Regional district

REG - Region

RM - Regional municipality

Té - Territoire équivalent

TER - Territory / Territoire

UC - United counties

Census subdivision types

C - City / Cité

CC - Chartered community

CG - Community government

CN - Crown colony / Colonie de la couronne

COM - Community

CT - Canton (municipalité de)

CU - Cantons unis (municipalité de)

CV - City / Ville

CY - City

DM - District municipality

HAM - Hamlet

ID - Improvement district

IGD - Indian government district

IM - Island municipality

IRI - Indian reserve / Réserve indienne

LGD - Local government district

LOT - Township and royalty

M - Municipality / Municipalité

MD - Municipal district

Mé - Municipalité

MU - Municipality

NH - Northern hamlet

NL - Nisga'a land

NO - Unorganized / Non organisé

NV - Northern village

P - Parish / Paroisse (municipalité de)

PE - Paroisse (municipalité de)

RCR - Rural community / Communauté rurale

RDA - Regional district electoral area

RG - Region

RGM - Regional municipality

RM - Rural municipality

RV - Resort village

S-é - Indian settlement / établissement indien

SA - Special area

SC - Subdivision of county municipality / Subdivision municipalité de comté

Sé - Settlement / établissement

SET - Settlement

SG - Self-government / Autonomie gouvernementale

SM - Specialized municipality

SNO - Subdivision of unorganized / Subdivision non organisée

SV - Summer village

T - Town

TC - Terres réservées aux Cris

TI - Terre inuite

TK - Terres réservées aux Naskapis

TL - Teslin land

TP - Township

TV - Town / Ville

V - Ville

VC - Village cri

VK - Village naskapi

VL - Village

VN - Village nordique

Designated place types

CFA Class IV area - Nova Scotia

DMU Dissolved municipality - Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta

DPL Designated place - Newfoundland and Labrador

IRI Indian reserve / Réserve indienne - British Columbia

IST Island trust - British Columbia

LNC Localité non constituée - Quebec

LSB Local service board - Ontario

LSD Local service district - New Brunswick

LUD Local urban district - Manitoba

MDI Municipalité dissoute - Quebec

MDP Municipal defined places - Ontario

MET Métis settlement - Alberta

NCM Northern community - Manitoba

NVL Nisga'a village - British Columbia

OHM Organized hamlet - Saskatchewan

SE Aboriginal settlement - Yukon

UNP Unincorporated place - Alberta, British Columbia

UUC Unincorporated urban centre - Manitoba

Others

% - Percentage

AANDC - Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada

AMF - Area master file

APS - Aboriginal Peoples Survey

BFDF - Block-face data file

CANCEIS - Canadian Census Edit and Imputation System

CARTLIB - Cartographic library

CBF - Cartographic boundary file

CMHC - Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation

DBF - Digital boundary file

DCF - Digital cartographic file

DCW - Digital chart of the world

Diff. - Difference

E & I - Edit and imputation

GIS - Geographic information system

GNBC - Geographic Names Board of Canada

GRS - Geodetic reference system

km² - Square kilometre

m - Metre

MP - Member of Parliament

n.e.c. - Not elsewhere classified

n.i.e. - Not included elsewhere

n.o.s. - Not otherwise specified

NAD - North American Datum

NGB - National Geographic Base

NGD - National Geographic Database

NRCan - Natural Resources Canada

NTDB - National Topographic Database

PCCF - Postal code conversion file

PCFRF - Postal codes by federal riding file

QC - Quality control

RNF - Road network file

RO - Representation Order

SAC - Statistical Area Classification

SDI - Spatial Data Infrastructure

SGC - Standard Geographical Classification

UN - United Nations

UTM - Universal transverse mercator

vs - Versus